Violent crime

Tony Devenish: What do I tell my constituents in the West End and China Town; Vincent Square and Oxford St, Regents and Bond St when they see they are the Number 1, 3rd and 6th highest rising violent crime hot spots since you became Mayor? What specific actions are you taking in these communities?

The Mayor: In June 2019, 434 violence against the person offences were recorded in the West End Wards. This figure is almost the same as June 2018. West End Police Teams work with partners to problem solve and deliver days of action to tackle knife crime, theft person/pickpockets, gangs and drugs, all of which are intrinsically linked to violence. Vast footfalls of people into the West End increase the challenges and demand in this area.
The high concentration of hostels in Vincent Square Ward attracts drugs and violence related to the street population issues. Police Neighbourhood teams work as part of the Integrated Street Unit at WCC to provide holistic support, diversion and effective prosecutions.
The Territorial Support Group and Violent Crime Task Force are deployed regularly to the West End in a proactive capacity to tackle violence and drugs, police crime teams investigate offences seeking to identify and bring offenders to justice.
Unfortunately, we have witnessed a rise in violent crime across the country, yet Government has repeatedly passed the buck and refused to provide the resources we desperately need. Since 2010 there has been continued and systematic disinvestment in police by the Central Government. As a result of these Government cuts, the MPS has had to deliver £850 million in savings since 2013-14 with officer numbers falling to a 15 year low in mid-2018. The overwhelming majority of police funding comes from the Government and I have no means of making up the gap, despite having increased the policing element of my council tax precept by the maximum amount each year. This additional £234m of investment for policing and tackling crime has helped protect 1,300 police officer posts that would otherwise have been lost.
I am pleased that the Government realises the cuts to policing were a mistake and I welcome the announcement of plans to support the recruitment of these additional officers to partially reverse these cuts. I have written to the Home Secretary to ask for urgent clarification on what proportion of these new officers the MPS will receive, and importantly, how they will be funded. In the meantime, the MPS will continue to recruit new officers at pace.